Shipping work tools

[are we there yet?]

Just starting the long process of cleaning work tools ready for shipping, my OH is a stone mason/builder so has a lot of tools, saws, drills ect, some of them are a bit rusty, I've cleaned them with jeyes fluid but the rust is obvious, can we take them or will they have to be left behind? Thanks

[samandcraig]

We were told that rusty items should be left my husbands a joiner so we understand what a busy time you will be having cleaning everything at the moment, you will get there.....good luck with everything

[tomamylancaster]

My hubbys a mechanic & we haven't got to the cleaning tools stage yet - but good to know about the rusty tools.

[samandcraig]

Oh it takes a lot longer than you first think! Give yourself plenty of time x

[tomamylancaster]

Oh it takes a lot longer than you first think! Give yourself plenty of time x

 

I can imagine. It'll be tough because he'll need his tools until nearer the time when we ship them, & there's no point cleaning them twice!! It'll be one of those into the night jobs, I can just tell!!

[snifter]

Are you planning on bringing some over in checked baggage? Some people do ship their tools that way. I don't think they are quite as strict as if you ship in a container, but they would still have to be cleaned really well. Might be worth digging around in some older posts and see what people did if shipping in luggage.

[are we there yet?]

I think the trouble we have is the size of the tools, they're mostly quite large so will have to go in the shipping container, I'm cleaning like crazy and as rust isn't organic I'm hoping it'll be ok, well just have to take the chance, I suppose no point in stressing....... Yet!! Lol

[snifter]

I think the trouble we have is the size of the tools, they're mostly quite large so will have to go in the shipping container, I'm cleaning like crazy and as rust isn't organic I'm hoping it'll be ok, well just have to take the chance, I suppose no point in stressing....... Yet!! Lol

 

Yes, good point. Rust may well be an issue. I'd discuss with your shipping company about it and perhaps read the quarantine blurb on the gov website.

[flossybeth]

How rusty are they - could you not use wire wool or something similar to take the rust off? Just as time consuming as cleaning but if it gets the rust off?

[are we there yet?]

Thanks for all the replies, Yeah I'm scrubbing any debris off, They're rusty from water use, not flaky or loose, things like stone drill bits are constantly in water, there must be loads of tradies with the same problem, replacing them is not an option as they're so expensive to buy, I did have a look on the quarantine web site,maybe I need to look again & I'll check with the shipping company see what they advise, I'll report back once I know anything for others in a similar situation:)

[Sprinter]

On a similar theme, if all the tools are properly cleaned, can you lightly oil them to stop corrosion in a shipping container for 3 plus months.

[are we there yet?]

Just thought I'd add that we brought a suitcase full of hand tools and a couple of drills, we jeyes cleaned them then wrapped in polythene, we declared everything at customs as some items had wooden handles, no one looked at anything and we went straight though, not had our shipped goods yet but it was ok for tools to come in baggage